Bacardi picks on the wrong people. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Learn what you can do to stop the controversial tactics of big companies.

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Bacardi must be stopped. It is up to the Wild Geese across America to stop them. We need your help!

Bacardi picks on the wrong people

Since 2009 The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers and Heroes product line, which includes a multi-award winning Irish Whiskey and, since 2012, a multi-award winning RUM, has used the trademark “UNTAMED” on its products, its advertising, product labels, promotional displays and on-line videos. In 2011 “UNTAMED” was registered in the United States and across the world.

UNTAMED® tells the remarkable story of The Wild Geese, the name given to the Irish Diaspora who were forced to leave Ireland following the Treaty of Limerick in 1691. Today, there are 80 million people of Irish descent living outside of Ireland around the world; there are about 40 million Irish immigrants and Irish-Americans living in the US. The Wild Geese story is Ireland’s heritage. The Wild Geese are part of the DNA of all of Irish descent.

In November 2013 BACARDI launched a major worldwide advertising campaign “BACARDI UNTAMEABLE’ (sic) which, it claims, tells the story of the allegedly “untameable” Bacardi family facing adversity in exile. Bacardi also seeks to register “Bacardi Untameable” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

BACARDI’S ACTIONS ARE A DANGER TO ALL ENTREPRENEURS AND TO IRISH HERITAGE

Bacardi seems to feel that by placing their brand name in front of your trademark, they can then take ownership of your identity.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

If Bacardi’s tactics are allowed to stand, ALL entrepreneurs are in danger of having their intellectual property – their trademark, their brand, their identity – taken from them by big companies.

For entrepreneurs, their intellectual property – or I.P. – is often their most valuable asset. Their IP represents their reward for the many sacrifices made over many years, the result of risking everything to create something of value for themselves and their families.

Entrepreneurs are not afraid of competition. They seek constantly to challenge the status quo. But their resources are often scarce, their money tied up in the launch of a new company, a new product, a new brand. Through its actions, it is clear that the Bacardi family believes it can outspend and outlast the Wild Geese. They’ve picked on the wrong company.

Americans value innovation. We create laws designed to encourage inventors, to reward creativity, to protect identity. Bacardi should not be allowed to disregard these laws simply by virtue of its size, its reach and its wealth.

The Wild Geese’s advertisement 2010

Bacardi’s advertisement 2013

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

LEARN WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP THE CONTROVERSIAL TACTICS OF BIG COMPANIES
JOIN THE WILD GEESE. REGAIN YOUR HERITAGE

The careless act prompted the Federal Election Commission to send the group a reminder note Friday that it needed to include addresses for its treasurer and affiliated banks.

In the first quarter of 2014, Bacardi USA made just one donation – $1,000 to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who took over as chairman of the powerful Finance Committee this year. The PAC, in 2013, gave that amount to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and to a victory fund for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who is also the Democratic National Committee chairwoman.

Bacardi’s political arm gave $2,500 to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), once the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the first Cuban American elected to Congress. Bacardi was founded in Cuba, but left over family opposition to Fidel Castro.

Chances are only the most fervent of whiskey drinkers has heard of The Wild Geese Company. At least that appears to be the bet spirits Goliath Barcardi was making when it recently launched a new “untameable” advertising campaign that the much smaller boutique distillery claims infringes on its trademark rights, Buzzfeed reported.

Wild Geese holds the trademark to the “untamed” slogan, and, in a recently filed complaint with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, claimed Barcardi’s new campaign too closely resembles its own and violates its intellectual property. Though trademark fights are common in the spirits, beverage, and other industries, Wild Geese is taking its dispute with Bacardi to another level. Andre Levy, the chairman of parent company, Avalon Group, has been meeting with congressional staffers and has hired a lobbying firm to push for a change to the laws dictating U.S. intellectual property litigation. Namely, Levy is sick of “the little guys” having to back down in lawsuits with major brand competitors that have infinitely more resources to throw at a lawsuit and wants to level the playing field.

A representative for Bacardi declined comment for this story.

“It’s a dangerous precedent Bacardi is trying to set by using a name and trying to have people associate it with their product,” Levy said. “The problem that presents to entrepreneurs is it really creates a wild West scenario with intellectual property. Because they’re better known, they’re saying there will be no confusion between the two trademarks.”

Andre Levy, a British liquor marketer grappling with some of the world’s largest spirits conglomerates, hopes for a fairer shake in the court of public opinion, according to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek.

In 2000, Levy launched a whiskey brand called Wild Geese. To Levy and his Irish wife Mairade, who live in Switzerland, the brand clearly evoked the story of 17th century Irish soldiers, known as the Wild Geese, who fled to France at the end of a war with the English.

Last year, Bacardi sought to register the phrase “Bacardi Untameable” with the USPTO. Levy filed an objection and hopes to persuade the trademark office that Bacardi’s application, if approved, would violate his existing mark.

He worries that Bacardi will continue using its phrase, regardless of what the trademark office rules. “We would have to take Bacardi to court,” Levy told Bloomberg Businessweek. “That would take years and cost substantial amounts of money.”

Am I sure I can not be the only person thinking there could easily be brand confusion between two whiskeys, one "Wild Geese" and the other "Wild Turkey."

LAB, Apr 29th, 2014

Bacardi Controversial Comments

2014-06-05T13:27:54+00:00

LAB, Apr 29th, 2014

“Wild Turkey acting the absolute fool and stomping on the little guy (classic abuser behavior).” Am I sure I can not be the only person thinking there could easily be brand confusion between two whiskeys, one “Wild Geese” and the other “Wild Turkey.”

http://www.bacardi-controversial.com/testimonials/914/

In reply to LAB: "Wild Turkey acting the absolute fool and stomping on the little guy (classic abuser behavior)."

Am I sure I can not be the only person thinking there could easily be brand confusion between two whiskeys, one "Wild Geese" and the other "Wild Turkey."

Well we won't ask you to get the turkey at Thanksgiving:)

Anonymous, Apr 30th, 2014

Bacardi Controversial Comments

2014-06-05T13:28:59+00:00

Anonymous, Apr 30th, 2014

In reply to LAB: “Wild Turkey acting the absolute fool and stomping on the little guy (classic abuser behavior).” Am I sure I can not be the only person thinking there could easily be brand confusion between two whiskeys, one “Wild Geese” and the other “Wild Turkey.” Well we won’t ask you to get the View Full →

http://www.bacardi-controversial.com/testimonials/915/

The Bacardi company acted cr*ppily in this case. Go for it, Andre!

Duke615
April 2014

Bacardi Controversial Comments

2014-05-22T10:55:50+00:00

Duke615
April 2014

The Bacardi company acted cr*ppily in this case. Go for it, Andre!

http://www.bacardi-controversial.com/testimonials/comment-2/

It’s going to be difficult to get Bacardi to cave in, but good on him for giving it a go and standing up for himself and his business. If the tables were turned and Wild Geese used “untamed” after Bacardi’s “untameable”, well, we all know how that (most likely) would have gone.

Ebele
May 19, 2014 at 11:14 am

Bacardi Controversial Comments

2014-05-22T10:54:28+00:00

Ebele
May 19, 2014 at 11:14 am

It’s going to be difficult to get Bacardi to cave in, but good on him for giving it a go and standing up for himself and his business. If the tables were turned and Wild Geese used “untamed” after Bacardi’s “untameable”, well, we all know how that (most likely) would have gone.

Bacardi’s new story bears uncomfortable similarities in content, look, feel and the story line of The Wild Geese, an event that took place in 1691 and which since 2002 has been celebrated and disseminated to the worldwide community.You can judge for yourself above.

May 2011

Wild Geese, Untamed, Wild Geese Soldiers and Heroes, and The Exiles are registered trademarks
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